Run Like Mad
by CPO Backstreet
Summary: Sequel to I Don't Wanna Wait. Five years on from Dawson and Joey's wedding, circumstances bring them and their friends back to Capeside again... where an unexpected revelation is waiting for them.
1. Chapter 1

**So, it's been about a year now since I wrote my post-finale finale that was meant to provide an ending to the series...only to promptly be asked for another one. Fortunately, I did actually have an idea for a sequel, so here it is!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER ONE**

Joey Leery woke to the feel of someone laying next to her and smiled to herself. She and Dawson had been sharing a bed on and off for most of their lives but there had been a time when she'd given up on the hope of ever sharing it with him as his wife, a time when she'd even managed to convince herself it wasn't what she wanted. But now…now they'd been married five years. And she'd loved every second of it.

Dawson stirred as well, disturbed by her movement. A smile soon spread across his face at the sight of her lying there, as if he too still needed to pinch himself every now and then to make sure this was actually what their life was. "Morning,"he said quietly.

"Morning,"she returned in the same light tone of voice.

He kissed her softly. "How long do you reckon we can stay here?"

"Mum! Dad!" A male voice echoed through the flat.

Joey rolled her eyes. "Not long by the sound of it."

Dawson smiled. "All right, Mitchell, I'm coming!" He rolled out of bed and headed out of the room.

Joey climbed out of bed as well, taking a moment to look out the window. The Los Angeles skyline looked back at her. She'd moved there after the wedding, that whirlwind ceremony when they'd bumped into each other back in Capeside. Much to her surprise, it had soon felt like home. Anywhere with Dawson felt like home.

She headed through into their son's bedroom. Dawson was trying to calm Mitchell down. The object of his anger was his sister, Susie. She was looking innocently down at the pile of bricks which had until recently been Mitchell's skyscraper. "She broke it!"Mitchell bellowed, sounding close to tears.

Joey looked reproachfully at her daughter. "Susie, you know you're not supposed to come into your brother's room without permission."

"Wanned to ee him,"Susie protested. Still only two years old, talking was a work in progress for her.

Joey knelt down by her and put an arm round the girl. "I know you love your brother but you need to be careful of his things. It's not nice for him when they get broken."

Dawson rubbed Mitchell's back soothingly. "You can build the skyscraper up again. You remember how it went, right?"

"Yes,"Mitchell admitted. "But I wanted it kept the way it was."

"Yeah but sometimes things get broken." Dawson looked at Joey as he spoke and she sensed there was more to his words than there appeared. "But you don't give up on them. You have to fix them and build them up again."

Susie wandered over and held out a brick to her brother. "Orry,"she said.

Mitchell took the brick and gave her a hug, then led her back over to the pile of bricks where he started rebuilding.

Dawson and Joey both straightened up and he put an arm round her. "Another crisis averted,"he commented.

* * *

An hour or so later, Dawson was holding court at the breakfast table. Mitchell was at least willing to eat the bowl of cereal that had been put in front of him, if only to prove that he was a big boy now. Susie however was refusing to eat anything unless she was spoon fed it. Dawson's bowl of oatmeal had long since grown cold as he instead concentrated on filling up Susie's spoon and pushing it into her mouth. "You know, you could do this yourself,"he pointed out. Susie shook her head resolutely.

"She definitely knows how to get your attention,"Joey commented as she entered the room.

Dawson gave her a wry look. "Must be in the DNA." He glanced at the clock. "Are you due in the office this morning?"

"Not until ten. I've got a new writer coming in this morning. What about you, are you needed in editing?"

Dawson shook his head. "They're doing the dub of the first cut today. I'm going to see the results tomorrow."

"So are we actually going to do the kindergarten run together?"

Mitchell's face lit up. "Please!"

Dawson smiled at him and then at Joey. "Guess that's the answer." His response was interrupted however by his phone ringing. He checked the caller ID, then answered it. "Hey, Mum, what's up?" His expression instantly became serious as he listened to her news.

Joey waited until the call had finished before asking "What's up?"

"It's Grams,"Dawson replied. Both of them knew who that meant. The grandmother of one of their closest friends, who she'd now outlived by seven years. "Mum's found out she's in a hospice in Boston. They don't think she'll last more than a few days."

"Then we've got to go,"Joey concluded.

Dawson nodded in agreement. "I'll book flights for tomorrow. You sort everything out at the office and I'll get the set to send me the edit in a dropbox, I can send them notes." He thought for a moment. "And there's someone else I need to call."

* * *

Pacey was heading across the landing when he heard the irate voice of Andi, his partner. "Stephanie Witter-McPhee, you are going to wear what shoes I tell you to!"

Pacey poked his head around the door to see their daughter once more kicking away the pair of smart black shoes that Andi was trying to force on her and retrieving her trainers. "Stubborn genes, that one,"he commented.

Andi gave him a long-suffering look. "As if I didn't already know that."

Pacey picked up the pair of black shoes. "So what's the matter with these?"

"They're not as comfy,"Stephanie complained.

"True but if you want to be a class act like your mum when you grow up, you gotta get used to uncomfortable shoes."

Andi sighed. "That's true."

Almost simultaneously, their phones started ringing. Pacey glanced at his. "Dawson,"he read.

"Jack,"Andi added. They both answered…and both had the same reaction to the message.

Pacey looked at his girlfriend. "Grams?"

Andi nodded. "Yeah, Jack just told me. It's not looking good."

"A hospice in Boston Dawson said."

"Jack says they're moving her nearer Capeside."

"Okay, I'll give Dawson the update. He and Joey are going to fly down as soon as they can." Pacey paused, letting the implication sink in. "Looks like we're going home."


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the review!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWO**

Dawson brought the hire car to a halt outside his old home and took a moment to look at it, thinking of everything that had happened since he'd lived there. Then Joey nudged him. "I think we need to get out now,"she pointed out.

"Really? I didn't know that." Dawson gave her a smile and unclipped his seat belt before getting out of the car. He opened the rear doors and allowed Mitchell to leap out, while Joey undid Susie's restrainers and helped her out the other side.

Gail and Lily came out of the house and Lily regarded her niece and nephew with astonishment. "Wow, you're getting so big!"

"You can talk,"Dawson murmured. It was a bit of a shock to realise that his sister was now in her teens…but then he'd passed the big three oh a couple of years previous himself.

Gail gave Dawson a warm hug, before giving a slightly shorter hug to Joey. "It's good to see you both here,"she told them. "I'm sorry it had to be for this reason."

"It's good to see you again, Gail,"Joey confirmed. Even after five years of marriage, she still hadn't quite got used to calling her mother-in-law that.

"Are you heading straight to the hospital?"

"We'll get settled in first,"Dawson decided.

Lily nodded eagerly and took Susie's hand. "Come on, Susie, you're sharing my room!"

"Where am I going?"Mitchell asked.

"You're going to be in Aunt Lily's old room,"Gail explained, before turning to Dawson and Joey. "The guest room's okay for you?"

Joey gave Dawson a small smile. "We'll manage,"she declared.

"Do you want us to look after Mitchell and Susie while you're out?"

Dawson considered this. "We'll call Pacey and Jack first,"he decided at last. "If Amy and Stephanie are going to be around, can't see why they shouldn't be as well."

* * *

Dawson and Joey took their bags up to the spare room. They'd slept in it several times over the years of course, but they always remembered the first time: The lead-up to their wedding. Joey glanced across at Dawson, standing on the other side of the bed, and gave a bit of a smile. "Fond memories?"

Dawson smiled back. "You could say that, yes."

"Wonder how long we'll be staying."

Dawson's face fell slightly. "Guess it depends on…how long it takes."

Joey nodded, understanding. "I'd like to see Bessie and Alexander and Bodie while we've here."

"I'm sure we'll have time." Dawson came over to her and put his arms round her waist. Then he kissed her, gently at first but with increased intensity.

Joey pulled away with a smile. "Time for that later, when your mother, your sister and our children aren't about to walk in on us."

Dawson laughed slightly. "Let's put our things away."

* * *

It was a little over an hour later that they finally made their way into the hospital. Mitchell and Susie had ended up accompanying them after all and both soon gave a cry of delight on seeing Amy and Stephanie. Stephanie had inherited Pacey's colouring, in much the same way that Mitchell had inherited Joey's, but there was no mistaking that she had Andie's eyes, filled with innocent wonder. Amy reminded Dawson of Jen every time he saw her: Four years older than any of the others, she seemed to tolerate them with the air of an older cousin who was fond of them but considered herself above it all.

The two children were not alone, of course. Pacey, Andie, Jack and Doug were all there. Andie instantly gave first Joey and then Dawson hugs that would have been bone-crushing if not for her slight frame. "You two are both looking positively scrumptious."

"You're pretty edible too, Andie,"Dawson assured her. He held out his hand to his best friend. "Pacey."

"Dawson,"Pacey echoed with a smile. He hugged Joey while shooting a sidelong glance at Dawson. "It still okay to do this?"

"I'll let you know when you've gone too far."

Jack shook Dawson's hand as well. "Been a while since we've seen you two around here."

"Yeah, we had Thanksgiving at ours this year,"Joey explained, wondering if she should feel guilty. It had been years since the five of them had all been together.

Doug looked as uncomfortable as ever at being surrounded by his little brother and his contemporaries, especially when one of them was his boyfriend. "Grams is in there,"he explained, nodding to the nearest private room.

"Can we go in?"Dawson asked.

"You can,"Jack confirmed. "Although you might see someone else there that you recognised."

Dawson and Joey headed inside as directed. It didn't take Dawson long to see or to recognise the two people standing at Grams' bedside. Todd and Eve. Dawson was still somewhat surprised that Todd had rung the number Dawson had given him after the wedding. The fact that they had ended up getting on well probably shouldn't have been a surprise.

"Dawson!"Todd exclaimed in delight. "And his hot wife!"

"The name's Joey,"Joey replied testily.

"Is it?"Todd asked, in a tone of voice that suggested he didn't actually care.

"Evelyn here was just telling me about her recent trip to Ibiza,"Grams explained, her expression suggesting she was only just managing to fight the urge to comment on the conversation.

Eve herself grimaced slightly at the use of her full name but had long since learned to tolerate it. "You should try it some time. Have fun."

"We have fun,"Joey protested.

Eve shrugged. "Well, I guess Dawson had to use all that stuff I taught him somewhere."

Dawson sighed deeply and hung his head.

"Something up, Dawson?"Todd asked, while giving his girlfriend's backside a squeeze.

"Just continuing to marvel at how two wrongs managed to make a right."

* * *

Joey was dozing in a chair next to Grams' bed. Dawson had gone to check on the children and Joey had offered to sit with the older woman but was still exhausted after their long flight. She shook her head to clear it, looked up and saw the last person she'd expected standing on the other side of the bed. Jen.

"Good to see you're awake,"Jen told her.

Joey stared hard at her old friend. "I get the feeling I'm not."

Jen smiled awkwardly. "Fair point." She looked around the room. "I gave you a bit of a bad steer last time I was here, didn't I? Getting you to choose between Dawson and Pacey."

Joey shrugged. "I dunno, I think Pacey and I needed that last attempt. There'd always have been a lingering doubt otherwise, whether we should have got back together. I couldn't commit to Dawson until we'd made sure, just like he couldn't commit to Andie."

"Guess that's one way of looking at it,"Jen agreed. "So, you and Dawson. You finally made it. Wish I'd been there."

"I wish you had been too."

"He's a special guy, Joey, make sure you remember that. I do wish I'd been honest with him. I wish things had been different. Maybe somehow we could have raised her together."

Joey looked at her in confusion and mounting concern. "Jen, what are you saying?"

And then she woke up. Sat in the same chair, with Grams asleep in bed. No sign of Jen, of course. But the words and the suspicions remained.

Joey got up and went to the door, looking out into the corridor. She saw Amy and Susie playing together. Two little blonde girls, like peas in a pod.

Joey had always known that Amy looked like Jen. It hadn't dawned on her until that moment how much she also looked like Dawson.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for the reviews! The idea just sprang out at me when I was trying to work out what I could do with the characters next. At least it'll please those who thought there wasn't enough angst in the first one... I could be making trouble for myself by getting updates up so quickly, because I wrote a lot of this story but now I look like I'm going to be snowed under with other stuff for about three months. So don't be surprised if the gaps between updates get longer later on...**

* * *

 **CHAPTER THREE**

Dawson obviously noticed the expression on Joey's face since he came over to her. "Is everything okay?" He looked past her into the room. "Is it Grams?"

Joey looked at him, still unsure of the reality of what she'd just experience. There was no point asking him about it now, she'd just sound crazy. "She's fine,"she told him. "Everything's fine. Can you sit with her for a moment?"

Dawson was confused but complied. "Yeah, sure." He headed into the hospital room.

Joey looked over the others who were there. "Jack, can we talk in private for a moment?"

Jack looked just as confused as Dawson. "I guess so." He looked quizzically at his sister.

"We have to get going,"Andie noted.

"Check in with the parent people,"Pacey concluded. "That'll be fun."

"I'll warn them you're coming,"Doug offered.

Pacey bit back a retort. "Might be an idea,"he admitted.

Jack gave quick kisses to his sister and his boyfriend before joining Joey in a quiet corner. "What's up?"

Joey paused, considering her words carefully. "What do you know about Amy's father? Her birth father, I mean?"

"Only what Jen told me, I was back in Capeside by then. That she met this guy, dated him for a bit, then when she got pregnant he ran a mile. His name was Lee."

"You never met him then?"

"No."

"What about Grams?"

"I don't think so, she was having cancer treatment at the time."

Joey was growing more and more concerned. "Jack, do you know anyone apart from Jen who actually met Amy's birth father?"

"I don't think so…Look, Joey, what's all this about?"

Joey shook her head. "It's okay,"she said quietly. "It doesn't matter."

* * *

Joey locked eyes with Dawson as soon as she entered the hospital room. Her husband, her best friend, her soul mate. He would always be those things…she hoped. But perhaps he was something else as well. She tried to return his smile but he obviously picked up on her unease. "Is something wrong?"he asked.

Joey took a deep breath. "Dawson, this is going to sound really weird, I don't really know how to explain it myself. I had a dream. About Jen." She was aware it sounded strange so she went on quickly. "And she said something. She…she seemed to be suggesting that you were Amy's father." She looked at him hard. "But that's not possible, right? The only time you and Jen slept together was in college and that was way before Amy was born. Right?"

Dawson was silent for a moment, just long enough for her to realise what he was going to say. "There was another time,"he admitted. "She was in LA, we ran into each other…I guess we fell back into old habits. We slept together and then we parted as friends."

"When?"Joey asked, already knowing the answer.

"About nine years ago."

Joey nodded. "Around the time Amy was conceived. And nine months later she has a baby and you don't make the connection?"

"It _wasn't_ nine months later,"Dawson insisted. "It was seven months. And yeah, I asked Jen. She told me she was already pregnant when we slept together."

"Amy was two months premature." Grams' voice startled them both. They hadn't realised she was awake. "She spent the first week of her life in an incubator. We weren't sure if she'd pull through for a while. It was hard on Jen, at the hospital, waiting."

Dawson looked stricken, fixed with the accusing glare of both of them. "I didn't know,"he protested. "I didn't know."

* * *

Stephanie was being hugged tightly by her grandmother. Pacey and Andie watched on in bemusement. "We are here, aren't we?"Pacey asked.

"I think so,"Andie confirmed.

Pacey's mother straightened up. "Sorry, Pacey, how are you?"

"I'm doing fine." Pacey smiled as Gretchen and Kerry entered. "Ah, now I know I'm back home. Being ganged up on by the female members of the family."

"I'd have thought you'd consider that normal,"Gretchen commented.

"That is, sadly, actually true."

"Is your father here?"Andie asked.

"He's in his usual seat,"Kerry confirmed.

Andie took Stephanie's hand and led her through to the front room where John Witter seemed to be alternately swigging from a beer bottle and watching an NFL game. "Hello, Mr Witter,"she said cheerily.

John didn't look round. "Does you being here mean my younger son's around somewhere? Or have you finally broken up?"

"We're not planning to break up so yes, he's around here somewhere,"Andie confirmed, her tone not altering.

"Are you grumpy, Grandpa?"Stephanie asked.

John took another swig from the bottle. "Yes,"he replied bluntly.

Andie led Stephanie back into the kitchen. Pacey gave her a sympathetic look. "Don't know why you bother. I've been trying for thirty-two years."

Andie shrugged. "Eternal optimism."

* * *

Dawson hadn't left Grams' side but his gaze was fixed on Amy, who he could see in the corridor outside. "Why didn't Jen tell me?"he wondered.

"She had her life and you had yours,"Grams answered. "She wouldn't want to be part of yours or make you give it up. Don't be too hard on her."

"I just keep thinking I should have been there for her…for both of them."

"You can do that now. It makes me feel like I can go quietly, knowing Amy has another person who'll love her."

"You don't need to do that." Dawson waited for an answer but none came. He looked round and found Grams lying still. Somehow he knew instantly that she was dead. "Jack!"

Jack, Doug, Joey and, curiously, Audrey, who Dawson didn't even know was at the hospital, came rushing in. Jack stopped for a moment then hurried to his surrogate grandmother's side. Dawson stepped aside for him then caught a glimpse of Amy trying to come into the room. He pushed through his friends and gently led her to join Mitchell and Susie in the corridor. "You don't need to see this,"he told her gently but firmly.

He looked up to see Joey had followed him out. She looked at him, trying to understand. He wished her luck, since he didn't understand himself. But if Amy was his daughter, then that meant he had to try and be a father. Whichever way he could.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you for the review!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FOUR**

Dawson, Joey, Jack and Andie stood in the corridor as the morgue attendants took Grams' body away. "I guess we always knew it was going to happen one day,"Jack mused. "But somehow you convince yourself that it's not going to, that…she's just too alive for her ever to really die."

Andie slipped her hand around her brother's. "I'm sorry,"she said quietly. "I know how much she meant to you, that she was there for you when we weren't." Jack patted her hand gratefully.

Dawson looked queryingly at Joey, who understood what he was thinking. "Now?"she asked, sounding slightly incredulous.

"I don't think we should put it off,"Dawson replied. Joey gave a reluctant nod of assent and Dawson raised his voice. "Jack? Can we talk to you in private for a moment?"

* * *

"You _think_ you're Amy's father?"Jack repeated.

"We're pretty sure,"Dawson stressed.

"Why?"

Dawson sighed. The whole thing was hinging on very uncomfortable territory. He kept thinking back over the last eight years, over everything he could have done differently, whether he could have pursued it back then instead of pushing his initial questions aside. "I was with Jen around the time Amy was conceived,"he explained. "I didn't know she was premature. I asked Jen about it and she told me the dates didn't match."

"You think she lied?"

It was Joey who answered. "She probably thought it was for the best."

Jack was silent for a moment. He had known Jen well enough to know that she could have made that choice. "So what now?"he asked. "Are you going to try and take her away?"

"No,"Dawson said firmly. "You're the one that's been her father since she was a baby, you're the one she belongs with. But I want to be part of her life, to get to know her. I want her to know the truth."

Jack stared at him, as though trying to think of a reason to disagree, but seemed to realise the request wasn't unreasonable because he nodded. "Not today though,"he concluded. "She's been through enough today."

"Agreed,"Dawson assented. He stood up and turned to Joey. "I need to get back to the house. Are you coming?"

"No, I'll stick around here for a bit."

Dawson nodded and gave her a quick kiss goodbye before leaving.

"Are you sure about all this?"Jack asked.

Joey sighed. "I wish I wasn't. But I look at Amy, now I've got the idea in my head, and I see so much of Dawson in her. You will too if you look." She headed out into the corridor where Audrey was catching up with Pacey and Andie and beckoned to her old roommate. "Audrey, can we talk?"

* * *

When Dawson arrived back at the house, he found Lily playing with Mitchell and Susie in the front room. His mother had come to the hospital to pick them up after Grams' death. He watched the three of them for a moment, smiling, before slipping out into the hallway. He found Gail standing in the porch and she gave him a comforting smile as he approached. "How are you feeling?"she asked.

"Confused." He hesitated, knowing once he opened up the can of worms there would be no closing it. "I think I have another daughter."

Gail stared at him in confusion. "Joey might be pregnant..?" She looked harder at him, reading his mood. "No, that's not it, is it? Someone else?"

"Amy,"he answered. "Amy's my daughter."

"You and Jen?" Gail sounded shocked.

"It was a long time ago, Mum,"Dawson protested, wondering how many times he would have to defend what happened back then. "Neither of us were seeing anyone else and…it was practically a one-off. We were just there for each other when we were feeling a bit lonely. And now…now this. I didn't know."

"Maybe you didn't want to know?"Gail suggested gently.

"Maybe,"Dawson admitted. "I mean, it's a pretty big bombshell to deal with even now. Eight or nine years ago, I like to think I'd have done the right thing but maybe I wouldn't. But I just keep thinking that I've got another daughter and…and she's great." He gave a small laugh. "And I just find myself _smiling_ about it."

Gail put her arms around him and hugged him. "Now you're starting to feel like a father."

* * *

Joey and Audrey sat together in the hospital canteen. Audrey was slowly taking in the news that her friend was sharing with her. "So, Dawson and Jen..?"

Joey nodded. "I guess I can't really complain about that. I was living in New York with Christopher at the time, I didn't really have any claim on Dawson."

"Joey, you have every right to be angry with him! He had a kid with someone else!"

"But we didn't know that."

"You believe him?"

Joey thought for a moment. "Yeah. Yeah, I do. I know Dawson. If he knew that Amy was his, there's no way he wouldn't be there for her."

"Okay, we'll give him that one,"Audrey conceded. "So it's Jen's fault?"

Joey sighed deeply. "I spent nearly a year hating Jen because she was everything I wanted to be, this… this beautiful girl that had all Dawson's attention. And I got past that and I got Dawson's attention, his love. But when his father died, it was her that he turned to, not me. She was the one that helped him through it. He was the one that was there for me when my mother died and I couldn't be that person for him. And now…now there's this sweet little girl who's part of both of them, a permanent link between them. It feels like it somehow diminishes…us."

Audrey looked at her sympathetically. "So what are you going to do?"

Joey sighed again. "What I always do, I guess. Be Dawson's best friend."


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you for the review!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FIVE**

Jack looked out the window for what felt like the third time in as many minutes, then looked back at Doug. "He'll be here soon."

Doug had stayed quiet the first few times his boyfriend had announced that. But this time he said,"You don't have to do this."

Jack gave a laugh that had a slightly bitter edge to it. "What, I barricade the door? Tip boiling oil on him from the upstairs window?"

"If you tell him you're not ready for this…"

"Just be delaying it, wouldn't I?" Jack scowled. "I can't believe Jen landed me with this. She must have known it would happen one day."

"Guess she thought you could handle it."

Amy came in and instantly sensed the mood. "Dad? What's going on?"

Jack sighed. "We're about to have some visitors."

* * *

Dawson drew his car to a halt outside the house. He turned to look at Joey in the passenger seat. "Thanks for coming with me."

"I'm surprised you wanted me here."

Dawson gripped her hand. "I always want you here." He kissed her, then they got out of the car and headed up to the house.

Jack let them in, giving them simply a brief nod of greeting. Amy was sat in a chair, looking concerned at what was about to happen. Doug was sitting at the table some distance away from her.

Joey hung back near the door as Dawson and Jack approached Amy. Dawson stopped about a foot away as Jack crouched in front of their daughter. "There's something I need to tell you,"he told her gently. "Something that we only found out recently."

"What?"Amy asked, sounding worried.

"You know about…where babies come from, right?"

Amy rolled her eyes. "Of course I do. We did it at school."

"And you know that that's not how I became your dad? Your mum had you and then she died and she asked me to look after you, me and your other dad."

Amy's eyes flicked to Doug. "Yeah, I know."

"So, you know what that means? Your mum was with another man and that's how she became pregnant with you?" Jack paused and Amy nodded. "Well…we recently found out who that other man was."

"Who?"Amy asked, although Jack suspected she'd already guessed.

Dawson crouched down next to Jack. "Me,"he explained.

Amy stared at him. "Then…you're my dad? My birth dad?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I am."

"Is there anything you want to ask?"Jack wondered. But instead of answering, Amy pushed past them both and ran to her room. Jack looked at Dawson. "Just give her a minute."

Joey stepped forward. "Look, Dawson, me being here isn't going to help. How about I see you back at the house?"

Dawson got up and went over to her. "You okay?"he asked.

"Yeah, I just need some space."

Dawson gave her a quick kiss goodbye and watched her leave. Then he turned to Jack and gestured the way Amy had gone. "Could I..?" Jack nodded his assent.

* * *

Dawson entered Amy's room and found her sat on the edge of her bed. "Your dad said I could come in," he explained.

"I thought _you_ were my dad,"Amy fired back.

Dawson shrugged. "I thought you were used to the idea of having more than one dad." Amy couldn't answer that. Dawson came in and sat down next to her.

"So you didn't know you were my dad?"she asked.

"No. I suppose I should have known but your mum convinced me I wasn't."

"You knew my mum?"

"Yeah. I mean, we all did. Me, your dads, Joey, Uncle Pacey and Auntie Andie…We were all friends back in the day."

"To me, she's just…a lady on the television. She recorded a message for me, when she knew she was dying. Dad plays it for me sometimes."

"I know." Dawson's mind went back to that day in the hospital grounds. "I was there. I worked the camera for her."

"She could have told you then."

"Yeah but…she wanted the sort of life for you that she never had, a place where you belonged. I guess she thought you'd have more chance of that with your dad than me."

"Did you love her?"

Dawson stopped and thought. "Yes,"he said at last. "Not the way I love Joey but…yeah. I did love her."

"Do I have to live with you now?"

This time Dawson didn't need to think. "No,"he said firmly. "Your home's here. But…maybe we could spend some time together?"

Amy looked at him for a long moment. Then she nodded.

* * *

Joey arrived at her old home to find Alexander doing homework at the table. He gave her a smile. "Hi, Aunt Joey."

His voice had got a lot deeper since her last visit and Joey found herself wincing at the fact that someone that old was calling her "aunt". She dreaded the day when he started dating, assuming it hadn't happened already. "Hi, Alexander. Is your mum around?"

"She's around somewhere."

Joey gestured to the homework. "How are you getting on?"

Alexander grinned. "Jack, I mean Mr McPhee, says I'm the most promising student he's known since you."

Joey couldn't help but smile. "Mr McPhee has a silver tongue." She headed through into the bedrooms where Bessie was cleaning.

Bessie stopped when she saw her. "How are you feeling?"

Joey sighed. "Like the wicked stepmother."

Bessie gave her a sympathetic smile. "Guess it's not easy, finding out your husband had a child with someone else."

Joey sat down on the bed. "She's a great girl. Amy, I mean. But I just think…what if Jen had been honest with Dawson? What if she hadn't died? He'd probably have stuck by her, married her…might even have been happy. His life would have been so different."

"It's not like your life couldn't have gone down a different path,"Bessie pointed out. "What if things had worked out between you and Pacey, or Christopher, or even Eddie?"

"I know. But…I always felt deep down that Dawson and I would get married whatever happened. Now…I can't help thinking that we were a mistake."

Bessie looked carefully at her. "Joey…if you really feel this way, you need to talk to Dawson."


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you for the review!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER SIX**

Joey arrived back at the house to find Dawson and Gail in conversation. She looked from her husband to her mother-in-law with slight suspicion. "What's going on?"

"We were just talking about the easiest way for Dawson to spend time with Amy,"Gail ventured.

"And I was wondering if maybe it might be best for us to move back to Capeside,"Dawson concluded. "Just for a bit, until Amy and I have got to know each other."

"Just uproot everything?"Joey asked, somewhat astonished. "Our friends, our careers…"

"Well, you've got family here,"Dawson pointed out. "And you can still keep on doing your job. You don't need to meet writers face to face, there's e-mail and Skype…"

"And what about you?"Joey persisted. "Are you going to direct films by Skype?"

"No,"Dawson conceded. "But I can concentrate on my writing for a bit and…Amy's got to be more important."

"But where are we going to live? All of us squeezed in here?"

"Actually I was just telling Dawson,"Gail noted,"the lease is available for next door."

It took a moment for the comment to sink in. "Jen's old house?"Joey asked incredulously. "You want us to live in Jen's old house?"

Gail coughed awkwardly. "Tell you what, I'll take the kids out for a walk. Give you a chance to talk."

The couple waited in silence as everyone else vacated the house. Joey walked over to the sideboard and looked at the photo there: Herself, Dawson, Pacey and Jen, taken shortly after Jen came to Capeside. "Jen Lindley,"she stated. "First person you kissed, first person you slept with and, it turns out, first person you had a child with. I was second at everything. Oh, except sleeping with you. I'm way down the pecking order there, after some film critic and _Natasha_."

"I wasn't exactly number two for you either,"Dawson began to point out, then shook his head. It wasn't the time for quibbling. "Joey, do you remember what I said before we got married? It's not the first time that matters, it's the last. And I want you to be the last person I do all of those things with. You're the first and last person I've married, the first and last person I want to spend the rest of my life with."

He put his arms round her waist and the anger dissipated somewhat at his touch. "Amy is a lovely girl," she admitted. "And I don't want to stand between you. But we've got some lovely kids too."

"I know,"Dawson confirmed. "I've got three children now, and all of them, and you, are the most important people in the world to me."

Joey kissed him, a kiss filled with longing. Slowly, caressing each other, they headed upstairs to their room and made love, the tension between them forgotten for a moment.

* * *

Pacey headed out of the house, his head thumping from the latest argument with Kerry. Which was nothing compared to the rows the children were having or his mother's desperate attempts to make him feel at home or his father's grunts. He was craving normal company, so the sight of Andie sat at the end of the garden near the water was a blessed relief.

"I don't know why I come here,"he complained. "A few days with my family and I'm ready to stay away from them for years."

Andie waited until he'd sat down next to her before saying,"I think we should stay."

Pacey shot her a look. "Okay, did you not hear what I just said? Or are you just trying to drive me insane?"

"Usually, but that's not the reason. It's just with everything that's happened recently, Dawson turning out to be Amy's birth father…"

"Yeah, that's a pretty big shock. Must have hit both him and Joey hard."

"And Jack,"Andie added pointedly.

"Guess so, yeah." Pacey nodded back towards the house. "But really, these people? Not sure I can survive much longer."

"We can move in with Jack and Doug, I've spoken to him about it."

"Living with the sheriff again…" Pacey mused the idea, then shrugged. "I can manage that."

* * *

Joey looked out the window at the Los Angeles skyline. It was hard to believe that it was only a week ago that she was thinking it was home. Now she was heading back to her old home, Capeside, in circumstances she could never have predicted back then. She was alone doing the packing. They'd left Mitchell and Susie with Gail, and Dawson had gone to the studio to try and get them to agree to his new working arrangement. With a bit of prodding from Eva, Todd had gone with him as support.

Joey heard a knock at the door and turned to find Harley standing in the doorway. It occasionally made Joey feel very old to remember that she had once babysat the now-twenty-seven-year-old. Since Dawson had given Harley the starring role in the first movie he'd directed after their wedding, she'd turned into one of Joey's closest friends in LA. "I heard a nasty rumour you were leaving,"Harley noted.

Joey sighed. "I don't know about leaving exactly. We're keeping the flat for now. We're just not going to be here."

"Going back to Capeside?"

"Well, our families are there. More family than we thought, as it turns out."

Harley nodded sympathetically. "Yes, I heard about Dawson having another daughter…"

"He didn't know,"Joey stressed. "But now he does and…well, it's not like I can stop him getting to know her."

"You could. But I guess you wouldn't."

Joey gave a small laugh. "Yeah, maybe that's closer to it. Mainly because I still love him."

"Never in any doubt. But do you really think you can make this work?"

Joey shrugged. "Guess we'll find out."


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you for the review!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER SEVEN**

Dawson shot a quick glance at Joey and noticed that she was doing what she usually did when she thought he wasn't looking: Staring around her at the house. He had to admit, he was having a hard time himself believing that they lived there now. He'd stayed with Jen and Grams in Boston for a time but he wasn't as familiar with their old home in Capeside. Mainly because Grams had been too scary in those days for him to visit that much.

Joey turned her attention back to him and realised that he was staring out the window anxiously. She took his hand. "They'll be here soon."

Dawson nodded, slightly reassured…but only slightly. "What if she doesn't like being here?"

"And why shouldn't she?"Joey asked with mock affront before adopting a normal tone. "It'll be fine, Dawson."

Dawson saw the car pulling up and they quickly backed away from the window. A moment later, Jack steered Amy in through the kitchen door. "You found it then?"Dawson asked wryly.

"Oddly enough, yeah,"Jack replied with a smile. He bent over near Amy. "I'll be back to pick you up in a couple of hours, okay?"

"Can't you stay?"Amy asked.

Jack sighed. "Come on, you know the answer to that. The idea is for you to get to know Dawson and Joey."

Dawson stepped forward and put an arm round his newly discovered daughter. "Thanks, Jack." Jack nodded and made his exit.

Joey broke the awkward silence that followed. "Kids! Amy's here!"

Mitchell and Susie came running in at the call. They stopped looking at Amy cautiously. "Are you our big sister now?"Mitchell asked.

"I guess so,"Amy replied awkwardly.

That was enough for Mitchell: He threw his arms around her and hugged her. It only took a moment for Susie to join in.

Amy relaxed slightly at the attention and looked around. "Did Mum really used to live here?"

"Yep,"Dawson confirmed.

"Which was her room?"

Dawson took her hand and led her through to the room Susie was using at the moment. "This one here."

"Did you come and see her here?"

Dawson reddened slightly. The rest of the family had followed them through and Joey was looking at him quite intently, probably remembering a certain night in sophomore year when he'd wound up in Jen's room. "Sometimes." He led them through to the living room and gestured to the stack of videotapes he'd dug out of storage. "I've got some videos of when we were all young if you want to see them."

All three children looked at him, confused. "Videos?"Amy asked. "You mean online?"

Joey gave Dawson a sympathetic look. "I think we both just felt the years pile on."

* * *

Pacey, Andie and Doug were all in the kitchen when Jack arrived home. Andie shot him a supportive look. "How was it?"

Jack shrugged. "She wasn't exactly overjoyed to be there but she's there. And hey, there are worse people in the world to share a daughter with than Dawson."

Doug gave his boyfriend a hug and a quick kiss. "You're handling this well."

"Hey, can't be easy for Dawson either…or Joey,"Pacey pointed out. "Lot of marriages couldn't survive this."

He looked back at Andie and was surprised to see a misty look in her eyes. "Excuse me,"she said hastily, hurrying from the room.

Pacey followed her to their bedroom. "Andie, is something up?"

Andie turned to face him and sniffed slightly. "Is that what you want to happen? Dawson and Joey split up? Then you can get back with her?"

"What? No!"Pacey protested. "Why would you think that?"

"I just…I keep remembering how we split up in high school. I know I cheated on you, I know I was wrong, but I thought we were stronger than that, that we could get past it. But you didn't want me anymore. You wanted Joey. And it was only after she and Dawson got married that you showed an interest in me again. So if you want her…"

Pacey gently put his hands on her shoulders. "You really think I've still been pining after Joey all these years? Joey and I were a disaster, okay? A catastrophe of international proportions. You and me, McPhee…we're the real deal. Ever since I found a better place to sleep at your place than on the couch, there hasn't been anyone else."

Andie smiled. "That was a bit silly of me, wasn't it?"

"Absolutely." He kissed her, tenderly but intensely, and she wrapped her arms around him. The kiss seemed to be going somewhere but then the mood was killed by the sound of his mobile. Pacey looked at the caller ID with a scowl before answering it. "Dawson, this really isn't a good time."

* * *

"Pacey, you need to turn the television on right now,"Dawson answered. "Channel 57." He hung up, putting his arm round Joey as they both watched the news broadcast. Amy, Mitchell and Susie were sat on the floor in front of them, not sure what had caught the adults' attention.

The caption at the bottom of the screen read "FORMER LOCAL POLICE CHIEF ADMITS CORRUPTION". And the person on the screen was John Witter, reading from a prepared statement.

"In 2001, while serving as the police chief of Capeside, Massachusetts, I was approached by Theodore Lindley, the father of a school friend of my son's, who offered me money in exchange for useful information. Not long after, I learned that a company called Massat International was the subject of a fraud investigation and was about to be closed down. I sold this information to Theodore Lindley, allowing him to buy up the company's assets. I deeply regret this violation of the public's trust in me and am prepared to accept whatever consequences the law may decide."


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you for the review!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER EIGHT**

"I don't believe it!"Pacey was ranting. "All the times that creep looked down on me, like he was some sort of great hero keeping the streets clean, and he was as dirty as they come!"

Doug looked at him with a mixture of anger and disbelief. "You don't actually believe that, do you?"

Pacey returned his look scornfully. "Oh, and what's your theory, Sheriff? That he said all that to gain attention? Or maybe you think he had someone pointing a gun at his head in front of a television crew? Or hey, maybe someone paid him to say it? Because that's so much better than being paid for information!"

"I know Dad,"Doug snapped,"and he's not dirty."

"Face it, Doug, he has never been worthy of our respect,"Pacey retorted. "And this just proves it."

"Look, maybe we're getting ahead of ourselves,"Jack offered. "Perhaps you should just talk to your dad."

"There is no way I am ever setting foot in the same house as that loser again!"Pacey replied, storming off into the bedroom.

Andie quietly followed him, letting him stew in silence for a few moments before speaking. "Bit of a shock, huh?"

Pacey sighed. "I don't know why. That man has been letting me down most of my life. Either that or telling me that I've let him down."

"I always thought he liked you, deep down."

"Yeah, I convinced myself of that a few times as well. How dumb can you be? John Witter never cared about anybody but himself."

"But why own up?"

Pacey tried to think of an explanation. "Maybe…maybe he didn't want Doug to be implicated? Still have a Witter running the police?"

"Maybe. Jack and I haven't always got on with our dad but…I guess if he did something like this, I'd want to know why."

Pacey shrugged. "I've given up expecting to understand him."

* * *

Dawson and Joey were glued to the television set which was currently displaying an image of Theodore Lindley. "I don't know what made John Witter say these things,"he was insisting. "It is true that his son was friends with my late daughter during that time, but she was living apart from me and I never had any contact with the Witter family. Any allegations to the contrary are slanderous and will be dealt with accordingly."

Dawson lifted the remote and turned the set off. "Well, he's denying it."

"Do you believe him?"Joey asked.

"I don't know. All that time we were friends with Jen, I never actually met him. You did though, right? That time you and Jen went to New York?"

Joey nodded. "He was all right with me…but there was something about him, something kind of sleazy. Jen didn't seem to trust him."

"I kind of want him to be on the level for Amy's sake. It's bad enough that Pacey and Stephanie are in this." Dawson shook his head. "Talking of Amy, we're meant to be picking her up. Let's go."

* * *

Joey pushed the oars into the water of the creek for what felt like the hundredth time and shot her best death glare at Dawson, who was sitting at the other end of the boat with Amy, Mitchell and Susie. "You know, this was a lot easier when I was younger."

Dawson managed to avoid smirking. "Yeah, I guess it would be."

"You don't fancy giving me a hand?"

"You're the one with all the practise."

Amy got up and went to sit by Joey, taking one of the oars from her. "I'll help."

"Why thank you, Amy,"Joey replied with exaggerated politeness, before giving the girl a kiss on the top of the head.

Dawson threw up his hands in surrender. "Okay, I give up." He gestured for Joey to trade places with him and took her oar, settling down with Amy. "We have to do it together, okay?"he told her. "One, two, three!"

"Hang on." Joey took out her camera phone and snapped off a picture of the two of them. "That's one to show Alexander."

"How did you get him to let you use the boat again, Mummy?"Mitchell asked.

"Bribed him with video games."

* * *

An impromptu Leery-Potter gathering at Bess and Bodie's was going better than anyone could have expected. Alexander had set up his games console on a table and Lily and Amy were bashing away on the controls. "Shouldn't you be going easy on me?"Amy asked. "You are my aunt."

"Still trying to get my head around that one,"Lily admitted.

Alexander nudged Mitchell. "How are you managing with having a big sister?"

Mitchell shrugged. "It's nice to have a sister who can talk."

"I _an_ alk,"Susie insisted.

Gail watched the youngsters from a short distance away. "She's great, Dawson,"she commented.

Dawson nodded. "Jack's done a good job."

"Isn't easy, is it? I'm still not sure if she should call me Grandma or not."

Bessie walked over to Joey, who was standing a little apart from the group, with a drink. "Managing to avoid the wicked stepmother role?"

Joey sighed. "I'm trying very hard not to make the same mistakes with her that I made with Jen, treat her like she's coming between Dawson and me."

"You'll manage."

Bodie emerged from the house with a tray of filled tarts. "Okay, who's in a sweet mood?"

The children all put their hands up and raced over to him.

"Ooh, just in time,"Pacey remarked as he, Andie and Stephanie approached, with Stephanie quickly racing off to join her friends.

Dawson gave Pacey a quick hug. "We weren't expecting you."

"Well, hey, I'm not getting on with my family. Pretty much tradition in that case is to come and hang out with yours."

"Well, you're always welcome,"Gail assured him.

Andie nudged Joey. "How's the stepmother thing going?"

Joey sighed. "I think I need another drink."

* * *

"Did you have a good time?"Jack asked as Amy arrived home with Dawson and Joey.

Amy nodded eagerly. "I went to Joey's old home and I got to play with Alexander and Lily and I met all the rest of the family!"

"Plus Brodie made tarts,"Joey offered. "That's always the best thing."

"Brodie's tarts are great,"Amy agreed.

Jack managed a smile. "That's great, hon. You want to go and play out the back?"

"Thanks, Dad!" Amy ran out through the house.

"She probably didn't have _that_ great a time,"Dawson attempted.

Jack raised an eyebrow. "You think I need patronising now?"

"Sorry."

"It's good that she had a good time. And it's nice for her to have some more family."

Doug came through from the direction Amy had gone. "Oh, hi, Dawson, Joey, didn't know you were here. Is Amy in her room?"

"No, she's playing out the back,"Jack answered.

Doug looked confused and a little worried. "I've just been out there, I didn't see her."

Jack ran for the back door, Dawson just behind him. Joey and Doug followed. "Amy!"Jack called, looking around the empty space.

"Amy!"Dawson echoed.

There was no answer.


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you for the review!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER NINE**

Doug held up a photo of Amy, while copies of it were passed around to the mixture of deputies and volunteers assembled in the centre of town. "Amy Lindley, aged eight. Last seen leaving her home at around four o'clock this afternoon, apparently bound for the area behind the house. A few minutes later, her family realised she was missing. No evidence of kidnapping but it can't be ruled out at the moment. At present though we're just treating her as a missing person. If you speak to the deputy here, you will each be given search areas."

Joey looked round for Dawson and found him standing a little way away, his back to the group, lost in his own thoughts. She went up behind him and put her arms around his waist, resting her head on his shoulder. "She's going to be okay,"she said quietly.

"Great dad I am,"Dawson noted bitterly. "I've been her father for a month and I've lost her."

"You didn't lose her,"Joey pointed out. "We got her home safely. And you are a great dad to our kids. This wasn't our fault."

Dawson glanced across at where Jack seemed to be receiving similar reassurance from Doug. "He must be really hating himself right now."

"This isn't his fault either."

"She can't have got lost in her own back yard,"Dawson pointed out. "Either someone took her or she ran away. And if she ran away, what does that say about the way we've all handled this?"

* * *

Pacey was waiting in the doorway of the house while Andie threw on a coat and scarf. "You ready?"

Andie nodded. "Let's go and join the search."

They headed outside but before they could join the other searchers they saw a figure hobbling towards them. Pacey was shocked to see it was his father. More than one stroke over the years had left John unable to walk properly, which was probably why he spent so much time in a chair. "Wait!"he called to them.

Pacey waited but didn't do much to hide his look of disgust. "What do you want, Dad?"

"Theodore Lindley's granddaughter" – he nodded toward Andie – "the one that lives with her brother. I heard that she's missing. Is that true?"

"That's right, Mr Witter,"Andie confirmed. "Doug is organising search parties."

"I think I know what's happened to her."

Pacey shook his head. "Dad, we are way past time for you to start playing the big chief again."

"That stuff I said, the corruption charges, feeding information to Theodore Lindley.."

"Yeah, we know all about that…"

"It isn't true!"

Pacey paused, not sure whether to believe him or not. "Why would you destroy your reputation, risk going to jail, if it's not true?"

"Because of Stephanie!"John persisted. "He said he'd take her, hurt her, if I didn't say all that."

Pacey suddenly felt all his certainties about the situation fall away. Somehow he knew it was true, even though he didn't quite believe it. "You risked all that to protect Stephanie?"

John shrugged. "She might be illegitimate but she's still my granddaughter."

Pacey suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to hug his father. He encased the older man in an embrace. John awkwardly returned it. No sooner had they released each other then Andie threw her arms around John enthusiastically. "Thank you, Mr Witter."

John blushed slightly but then became businesslike. "It was a man named Peter Wisher. He owned Massat International, the company Theodore Lindley bought up. He never forgave him for it, wanted to take it away from him somehow. Lindley was supposed to admit to the bribe but he didn't."

Pacey made the connection. "So you think this Wisher made the same threat to him as he did to you, to kidnap his granddaughter, and now he's made good on it?"

"We'd better tell Doug,"Andie decided.

* * *

Doug listened to John's story. Dawson, Joey and Jack were also present, along with Pacey and Andie. "I'll have Wisher brought in for questioning,"Doug decided. "Hopefully he'll want to make things easy for himself. Thanks for letting us know, Dad."

Jack turned to the door. "I'm going to go back out there and search."

"Jack, this is the best option we've got for finding Amy,"Doug told him.

"I know,"Jack agreed. "But you're handling this. Maybe Wisher hasn't got her, or maybe I can find her anyway. I have to do something."

Doug nodded, understanding. "Good luck,"he noted, giving Jack a quick kiss.

The rest of them filed out of the office. Joey put an arm round Dawson. "See, this wasn't your fault. Amy could have been snatched any time."

"And we'll find her now,"Andie added.

"Maybe." Dawson didn't sound convinced. He looked at John. "You say Wisher threatened to hurt Stephanie?"

"Um, yeah, he did."

"So who's to say he hasn't hurt Amy?"


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you for the review!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TEN**

Doug looked across the interview table at Peter Wisher. The man looked smug and confident, as though believing he was untouchable. Doug hated him instinctively.

"Where's Amy Lindley?"Doug asked again.

"I don't know who that is,"Wisher replied.

"Theodore Lindley's grand-daughter."

"Have you asked Theodore Lindley?"

Doug paused for a moment, changing tack. "Do you know a gentleman named John Witter?"

"Should I?"

"He says you threatened his grand-daughter. Forced him to make false accusations against Theodore Lindley. Who denied them, so what was the point of that?"

"Sometimes mud sticks."

"Mud like threatening children?"

Wisher glared at him. "Prove it."

"Maybe I don't have to. I have John Witter's statement, that's enough to keep you here pending an investigation. It's enough to charge you with threatening a minor. And if you know where Amy Lindley is, then you'll know what's likely to happen to her. Now, eventually we will find her. If we find her safe and well, things will look good for you. If we find her and something's happened to her…"

"You won't be able to prove it,"Wisher insisted.

"Like you say, mud sticks. How much mud do you think you'll get from hurting an eight-year-old girl? So…are you going to help me find her?"

* * *

Dawson, Joey, Pacey and Andie were waiting outside the interview room when Doug emerged. "We've got an address,"he told them.

"Nice work, Sheriff,"Pacey commented. "What'd you do?"

"I was just very persuasive."

"So are we heading round there?"Dawson asked.

Doug looked at him hesitantly, as though wondering if he was being disloyal. "Yeah, I guess so. Does anyone know where Jack went? I tried his phone but he didn't answer."

"We'll go and look for him,"Andie decided. She gestured to Pacey and the two of them headed for the door.

"Mighty impressed, Dougie,"Pacey added as they left.

Doug turned back to Dawson. "Okay, you stay well back, right? We don't know what the situation is, we don't know who could be in danger."

"Like Amy?"Dawson suggested sarcastically.

"We're not going to get very far with that attitude."

Joey put a comforting arm around Dawson. "We're just worried,"she told Doug.

"We all are,"Doug bit back.

Joey wasn't willing to give up the point. "Then you should understand."

Doug met her gaze for a long moment before nodding. "Follow our car,"he told them.

Joey turned her attention back to Dawson. "Come on,"she said quietly. "Let's go get her."

* * *

Dawson and Joey were out of the car a moment after Doug and the deputy with them. "Stay back,"Doug repeated before hammering on the door. "Sheriff's office, open up." He paused, waiting for an answer, then nodded to the deputy. "Break it down."

A moment later, the door to the house was busted open and the two officers entered, guns raised. "Clear,"Doug declared. "Check the basement."

Dawson and Joey followed as the door to the basement was broken down. The same procedure was carried out but the only person they found was Amy, crouched in the corner.

Doug holstered his gun and hurried to crouch by her. "Amy, it's okay. You're safe now."

Amy was covered in dirt and her face was streaked with tears. She looked up. "Daddy…"

"He's on his way,"Doug assured her. "Andie's getting him, okay?"

"Daddy!"Amy repeated, looking past him.

Joey was the one who noticed where she was looking. She nudged Dawson. "I think she's talking about you."

Dawson saw that Amy's gaze was fixed on him, her eyes wide and pleading, pleading for comfort. Doug moved aside as he approached. Dawson took Amy in his arms and hugged her tight, lifting him up. "It's okay,"he said quietly.

"Daddy,"she moaned again but she sounded less frightened now.

"It's okay,"he repeated. "You're with people that love you now. It's all over. You're gonna be all right."


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you for the review!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER ELEVEN**

Jack came hurrying into the police station and stopped short at the sight of Amy sitting on Dawson's lap. She had been cleaned up a bit but her hair and clothes were still dirty…as were Dawson's, after the amount of time he'd spent holding on to her. Joey stood nearby and gave Jack an understanding smile. She must have already seen what he'd seen. Amy looked happy, relaxed…secure.

Amy saw him and jumped down from Dawson's lap with a smile, going to hug him. "Hey, Dad!"she greeted him.

"Hey, trouble,"he answered with a smile. "You ready to come home?"

"I think so." Amy released him, then ran back to Dawson and hugged him. "Bye, Dad." Jack's eyebrows raised at the term of address.

"Bye, Amy,"Dawson returned, holding her close for a moment. "I'll see you soon, okay?"

Jack hesitated as Amy came over. "Amy, Auntie Andie and Uncle Pacey are in the car. Do you mind going and sitting with them for a moment?"

"Okay." Amy sounded almost bored.

Jack waited until Amy had left before looking questioningly at Dawson. "'Dad'?"

"Yeah, it seems that's something we're trying now." Dawson looked uncomfortable. "Look, Jack, I meant what I said, I'm not going to take her away from you…"

"But you love her, and she loves you, and it's good that she feels secure, I guess." Jack smiled. "Who would have thought, back when I was splitting up you and Joey, that we'd end up sharing a daughter?"

Dawson smiled back. "Not me."

"See you, Dawson."

Jack left, and it was just Dawson and Joey. Joey came over to her husband and hugged him. "We heading home?"

"Yeah but…just to change. There's someone I need to go and see."

* * *

Dawson walked into Theodore Lindley's office. Given the determined look on his face, no-one had been in any mood to stop him. "Amy's safe,"he announced. "In case you care."

Theodore looked slightly thrown by the intrusion. "Well, I'm glad to hear that, of course."

"But you weren't bothered enough to go to the police, to tell them what you knew."

"I'm sorry but who are you?"

"Dawson Leery. Your granddaughter's father."

Theodore looked confused. "I understood some gay man…"

"Jack's her adopted father. I'm her birth father."

"Ah, I see. You're the one who got my daughter pregnant and disappeared. And you're lecturing me on caring?"

Dawson looked at him in disgust. "John Witter cared more about what happened to her than you."

"John Witter was a fool who let himself be blackmailed."

"You know, Mr Lindley…you had a wonderful daughter. You've got a wonderful granddaughter. And you don't deserve to have had them in your life. You don't deserve it."

* * *

It was an even more relaxed affair outside Bessie and Bodie's this time. The hosts were chatting with Gail, while Alexander and Susie were playing a miniature tennis game against Lily and Mitchell. John was sat on the sofa in front of the games console with Stephanie, both of them jabbing away at their handsets.

Pacey puts his arms round Andie's waist and rested his head on her shoulder as they both watched the scene. "Who'd have thought all it would take for him to become a great grandfather was a kidnapping threat?"Pacey remarked.

Andie looked over at Doug. "What's going to happen to him? I mean, he did make all those false statements."

"DA's decided that given that he was acting under duress, it's not in the public interest to press charges."

"What about Fisher?"Pacey asked.

"He's out on bail, got an army of lawyers fighting the kidnap charge…Who knows? Out of our hands now."

Joey stood by the creek, gazing out into the water. She knew it was just a temporary experience, but for now it was home and it felt like it. She thought of the young girl she'd been, rowing down the creek to spend time with the boy of her dreams, her soul mate. She'd dreamed of them marrying and having children and everything being perfect. Life tended to be messier than that. But things had got pretty darn close.

Dawson came walking down towards her and handed her a beer, which she took without comment, both of them swigging from the bottles. "We're gonna be all right, aren't we?"Dawson noted.

Joey smiled at him. "Hey, we're Dawson and Joey, we're always all right."

"'Cos there's been moments these past few months when I haven't been sure."

"Well, that's just heresy."

He looked at her with sincerity. "I love you, you know."

She smiled even wider. She'd heard those words from him so many times but they still made her feel warm inside. "And I love you." They kissed softly, before their attention was drawn to Jack and Amy arriving at the party. Dawson and Joey put down their drinks and headed over.

Amy ran to Dawson, who scooped her up and cuddled her. "Wow, you're going to be too big to do this soon!"he remarked.

"She already is at home,"Jack remarked. "This is a special present she gets from you."

"Don't stop any time soon, Dad!"Amy told Dawson. She looked at Joey. "Hi…Mum?"

Dawson and Jack exchanged a look. Joey smiled softly at Amy. "Your mum was an amazing person. And it'd be a great honour to stand in for her." Dawson put Amy down and Joey took her hand. "Come on, let's go and see if we can raid Bessie's make-up box."

Dawson and Jack watched them go with amusement. "Well, that's something you don't see every day," Jack remarked.

* * *

A few yards away and on another plane of existence, Jen watched them, a smile on her face.

"That was a very naughty thing you did,"Grams remarked, coming up behind her. "You caused a lot of trouble."

"I knew they'd get over it,"Jen insisted casually.

Grams raised an eyebrow, not quite convinced. "Oh really?"

"It's Dawson and Joey. They always get over it."

"Well, yes, I suppose that's true. And they do seem happy."

Jen's smile took on a mischievous quality. "Joey called me an amazing person."

"And I'm sure you'll take great pleasure in reminding her."


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

Joey stood in the middle of the house, taking in the detail. They'd only been there a few months but for some reason it felt like home. Having everyone she loved around her had felt good. Including a blonde girl who had turned out to be the daughter of two special people.

Dawson came in and put his arms around her waist, resting his head on her shoulder. "Having mixed feelings about leaving?"

"Just a few."

"Well, it's not like it's for good. We've still got the lease, we'll come back here as often as possible."

Joey gave him a teasing smile. "During your lean spells, you mean?"

Dawson wore an expression of mock outrage. "I do not have lean spells!"

"Only a matter of time." Joey gave him a light kiss. "Guess we need to get going."

"Guess we do." Dawson put an arm around his wife and led her towards the door.

"By the way, do you think we should check in on Pacey on the way back?"

"I think he might have his hands full."

* * *

Pacey was running around a kitchen, giving instructions to the staff. "Not too much salt. Careful with the seasoning. Don't let anything burn."

"Yes, Chef,"came the murmurings in reply.

Andie took him to one side and looked him in the eye. "Pacey, remember to breathe."

Pacey gave a small smile. "You know, McPhee, I've no idea how I managed without you to tell me that."

"It's a wonder you're still alive. Come on, we need to join the others."

They headed out into the middle of the restaurant, where nearly all of Pacey's families were waiting: His parents, his sisters, his sister's children and of course Stephanie, who was happily chatting away to John.

Pacey and Andie took their seats as the staff began emerging with trays. "Lunch is served,"Pacey remarked.

* * *

Dawson was hugging Amy tightly. She felt so much like family that it was hard to believe she wasn't coming with them. "I'll miss you,"she told him, her voice quavering.

"I'll miss you too,"Dawson promised her. "But we'll be back and maybe you can come and visit us in LA next holidays."

"Sounds like a good idea to me,"Jack agreed.

Amy finally released her newfound father. "Love you."

"Love you too,"Dawson replied, kissing her on the forehead.

There were more hugs between Amy and Joey, while Dawson shook hands with Jack and Doug. Then Dawson and Joey got into the car with Mitchell and Susie.

Dawson looked across at his wife. "We'll come back some day,"he noted.

Joey smiled and nodded. "So if this was a film, how would it end?"

"I guess it'd be a bittersweet ending with us driving off and everyone waving goodbye."

"Okay. Let's do that then."

* * *

 **All opinions welcome!**


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